“I visited also the laboratory where they showed me the chart of the typhoid patients—­the loss so high in 1914—­so low in 1915.  I noted down some figures which I give here for those who are interested in the question of anti-typhoid vaccine:  In November 1914, 379 deaths.  In November 1915, 22!  What a new and wonderful victory for French science!  I must add that three of our nurses have contracted typhoid fever; none of them was inoculated; twenty who were inoculated caught nothing.

“While we were making this visit, we heard the whistle which announced the arrival of taubes—­we wanted very much to remain outside to see, but we were ordered to go in; I observed that our nurses obeyed the order because of discipline, not on account of fear.  ’We can only die once!’ one of them said to me, shrugging her shoulders.  Their chief concern is for the poor wounded.  Many of them now that they are in bed, powerless to defend themselves, become nervous at the approach of danger.  They have to be reassured.  If the shelling becomes too heavy, they carry them down into the cellars.

“These taubes having gone back this time without causing any damage, we set off for Savonnieres, a field hospital of about three hundred beds, established in a little park.  It is charming in summer, it may be a little damp in winter, but the nurses do not complain; the nurses never complain!

“Saturday was the most interesting day of my trip.  I saw two field hospitals between Bar-le-Duc and Verdun.  Oh! those who have not been in the War Zone cannot imagine the impression that I received on the route which leads ‘out there,’ toward the place where the greatest, the most atrocious struggle that has ever been is going on.  All those trucks by hundreds going and coming from Verdun; those poor men breaking stones, ceaselessly repairing the roads, the aeroplane bases, the depots of munitions, above all the villages filled with troops, all those dear little soldiers, some of them fresh and clean, going, the others yellow with mud returning—­all this spectacle grips and thrills you.

“We breakfasted at Chaumont-sur-Aire; I cannot say how happy I was to share, if only for an hour, the life of our dear nurses!  Life here is hard.  They are lodged among the natives more or less well.  They live in a little peasant’s room near a stable; they eat the food of the wounded, not very varied—­’boule’ every two weeks.  How they welcomed the good fresh bread that I brought!

“Their work is not easy, scattered over a wide field; tents, and barns here and there, and then they have been deprived of an ‘autocher,’ which had to leave for some other destination.

“Many of the wounded from Verdun come there; and what wounded!  Never shall I forget the frightful plight of one unfortunate, upon whom they were going to operate without much chance of success alas.  He had remained nearly four days without aid, and gangrene had done its work.